Galata Mevlevi Lodge

The Historical Galata Mevlevi Lodge

Istanbul is full of history and wonder, but there is one place which adds a little mysticism into the mix. You’ve surely heard about the famous Whirling Dervishes, or maybe you’ve seen pictures of them before. The Galata Mevlevi Lodge is a place you can see these in real life, whilst also taking in plenty of history from way back in time.

The Whirling Dervishes are associated with the Mevlevi order. This is a mystical type of Sufism (also referred to as Mawlawi) which dates back to around 1273. Those who follow this order also follow Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi, an Anatolian mystic and a Muslim saint.

The famous Whirling Dervish dancing, with the iconic tall hats and spinning motions are all part of this order, and can be seen even today at the Galata Mevlevi Lodge. This dance alone is one of the most cultural experiences you can have in Istanbul overall

What is The Galata Mevlevi Lodge?

Built in 1491, the Galata Mevlevi Lodge is, as the name suggests, located in the Galata neighbourhood of Istanbul. This is the first house of its kind (related to the Mawlawi order) in the city, and was turned into a museum in 1975. After a major refurbishment, Galata Mevlevi Lodge is now one of the most popular attractions in the city, and welcomes thousands of visitors every year, dedicated to Mevlevi Sufi Islam.

Whilst Galata Mevlevi Lodge is popular place to visit, it is never packed with people, and it always has a laid-back, chilled out feel. This allows you to experience everything the lodge has to offer, without ever feeling rushed or pressured into getting out of the way of crowds.

Galata Mevlevi Lodge is also one of the very few places you can watch authentic Whirling Dervishes in Istanbul. The first floor is where you will experience this dance, surrounded by stunning architecture and decoration, such as painted ceilings and decorative woodwork. The dance represents the spiritual journey they take as they turn towards God and discover the truth, taking into account the human heart, mind, emotion, and human body. Even those who don’t really understand or know much about the history of the dance can’t fail to be captivated, with traditional clothes, whirling motions, beautiful music, and feeling of true calmness in the air.

There are other places you can catch a Whirling Dervish performance, but the other places certainly don’t have the mystical feel and history that the Galata Mevlevi Lodge has. A couple of alternative spots include Sufi coffee houses in Balat.

Visiting Galata Mevlevi Lodge

It is easy to get to the lodge from any point in what is considered ‘central’ Istanbul, if any part could be considered central! We’re talking about those in Taksim, Sultanahmet, and around the Golden Horn. You can’t miss the Galata Tower, so simply head towards it and you’ll be in Galata!

Galata Mevlevi Lodge is located within an area which is very musical, and you’ll see many music shops and people singing on the streets, which makes it a very vibrant spot too. You can either walk up the hill towards the lodge from Karakoy, close to the Galata Bridge, or you can walk down the hill from Taksim. Either way, you can’t miss it.

Galata Mevlevi Lodge is open daily apart from Tuesdays, and opening hours are 9.30am until 5pm. There is a small entry cost of just 10TL to get inside, but it’s certainly more than worth it. This cost is for the museum alone, where you can learn all about the subject matter at hand, and the history of the Whirling Dervishes.

Whirling Dervish dances are held on Sundays at 5pm during the peak summer months, so roughy from May until the end of October, and in the winter times these performance times dwindle a little, to once every two weeks. Tickets for a performance cost 70TL per person and you can buy them online or from the museum itself. Your seat number isn’t guaranteed however, so get there early to bag the best spot and view.

Can you visit the Galata Mevlevi Lodge and have the same experience without the Whirling Dervish performance? Yes and no. If you really want to see this mystical performance, then it’s certainly worthwhile timing your visit to coincide. Despite that, if funds are low or your timings just don’t work out, the museum is still a fantastic place to visit, and you’ll still come away having had a great experience.